The present invention generally relates to a tape cleaning device and, more particularly, to a device for cleaning magnetic tapes which are accommodated in cartridges, cassettes, or analogous receptacles.
After a period of use, it is necessary to remove dust, grit and oxide accumulations from magnetic tape in order to improve its frequency response. This cleaning is particularly necessary in the case of eight-track cartridges commonly used in especially dirty environments, such as automobiles.
Such magnetic tape cartridges are characterized in that one side of the tape is coated with graphite and the other side of the tape is coated with magnetic oxide. Thus, when the graphite coating and/or the magnetic oxide coating on opposite sides of the tape flake off as they respectively rub against various guiding elements such as the magnetic head, these flakes interfere with the frequency response of the tape.
The prior art has proposed only the cleaning of the magnetic head by using cleaning cloths and/or liquid solvents. No proposal has been directed solely to the direct cleaning of the magnetic tape itself. In any event the prior art techniques have not proven altogether satisfactory in removing the oxide accumulations in a quick, efficient and economical manner.